CVE-2026-53481 in PowerProtect Data Domain
Summary
by MITRE • 07/07/2026
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, versions 7.7.1.0 through 8.7, LTS2026 release version 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.10, LTS2025 release version 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.30, LTS2024 release versions 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.70 contain an improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker with remote access could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to unauthorized access to the system. This is a critical severity vulnerability as it allows an attacker to take complete control of system; so Dell recommends customers to upgrade at the earliest opportunity.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2026
This vulnerability exists within Dell PowerProtect Data Domain systems across multiple release versions including 7.7.1.0 through 8.7, LTS2026 release versions 8.6.1.0 through 8.6.1.10, LTS2025 release versions 8.3.1.0 through 8.3.1.30, and LTS2024 release versions 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.70. The flaw represents an improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal vulnerability. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate file paths and access files outside of the intended directories. The vulnerability is classified as critical severity because it enables complete system compromise without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous for networked storage systems that handle sensitive data backups and archives.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the Data Domain's file handling mechanisms. When processing user-supplied paths or file requests, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the input before accessing the filesystem. This allows an attacker to craft malicious requests using directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ that can navigate beyond the intended restricted directories. The vulnerability occurs at the application level where file operations are performed without proper boundary checks, enabling arbitrary file access and potentially allowing attackers to read sensitive system files, modify configuration data, or even execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides unauthenticated remote attackers with complete control over affected systems. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to backup data repositories, potentially compromising years of critical business data including customer information, financial records, and intellectual property. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of Data Domain systems which are designed to provide secure data protection services, making the compromise of such systems particularly damaging for organizations relying on these platforms for their data retention and recovery strategies. This weakness also enables attackers to potentially establish persistent access points within network environments where these systems operate.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the recommended mitigation strategy of upgrading to patched versions as soon as possible. Dell has released updates addressing this critical flaw, and organizations must prioritize these upgrades to prevent potential exploitation. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to Data Domain systems, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious file access patterns, and conducting thorough security assessments of all affected systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and represents a significant risk under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and persistence tactics. Organizations should also consider implementing file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized modifications to critical system files that could result from exploitation of this path traversal vulnerability.